Safety razor



G. TAYLOR SAFETY RAZOR Feb. 13, 1934.

Filed June 11, 1932 Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES 1,947,318 SAFETY RAZOR George Taylor, Hollinghurst, Kingsway, Penwortham, Preston, England Application June 11, 1932, Serial No. 616,714, and in Great Britain September 22, 1931 12 Claims. (01. 30-12) This invention relates to a safety razor provided with means, such as a face roller, which, when the razor is applied to the face, causes a reciprocation of the blade.

Heretofore it has been proposed to sharpen the inoperative edge of a double edged blade used in such a razor by bringing it into contact with a sharpening roller which, upon being turned, sharpens the said edge.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide such a safety razor with a sharpening surface which is mounted so as to be held relatively stationary with respect to the razor frame so that a fixed line of contact always obtains between the inoperative edge and the sharpening surface as the blade reciprocates.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for adjusting the sharpening surface so that the pressure between the said surface and the inoperative edge may be adjusted as desired.

A still further object is to provide a sharpening surface of substantially flat form and means for mounting it in the razor frame so as to engage the inoperative edge at a particular angle and with the necessary pressure for the sharpening of the inoperative edge.

Other features of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

Conveniently, reciprocation of the blade is effected by a face roller having a cam groove with which a pin on the blade carrier co-operates.

Advantageously the blade may be clamped between'a backing plate and a tiltable carrier disposed centrally between the sharpening surface and the face roller, the clamping of the blade being effected by an internally threaded screw so asto secure the double edged blade in position when bent to the requisite form. End plates to the frame of the razor may be employed having surfaces thereon, on each side of the carrier pivot, by contacting with which surfaces the razor blade is guided to reciprocate in a set path without any material friction being developed. Such a frame with end plates may be connected to a handle by means of abridge piece attached to the base of the frame, and adjustable pin stops may be provided to limit the rocking of the blade carrier so that the pin thereon connected with the cam groove on the face roller, cannot move out of its engagement at the same time that the said carrier, owing to its loose connections, may be freely reciprocated.

The accompanying drawing illustrates two forms of the invention:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the invention from the face roller side,

Figure 2 isa plan view of Figure 1 with the cover plate and blade removed,

Figure 3 is a sectional view to an enlarged 50 scale (about double size) taken about the line A-A of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 illustrates the substitution of a sharpening surface in roller form instead of a sharpening surface with a flat surface.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V of Fig. 2 showing the adjustable mounting of the bearing for the sharpening surface.

In carrying out the invention, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, a double edged blade 10 is attacheol to a tiltable carrier 1 by means of a backing plate 2 and an internally threaded screw 4, the backing plate having positioning pins adapted to enter holes such as 3 in the carrier 1.

The carrier 1 is reciprocated by means of the roller 8 with a cam groove '7, which actuates the pin 6.

The connection of the backing plate 2 is by means of the screw 4 engaging the threaded pin 5, the combination of the fiat surface of the car- 30 rier 1 and the inside rounded surface of the backing plate 2 serving to bend the razor blade 10 from its original straight form so far as to draw down the operative edge either directly on to the end plates 14, 15 or on tothe lugs 13 formed integrally therewith so that the blade is accurately adjusted with regard to the face roller 8.

Instead of the screw 4, the stem 5 may be grooved to engage with a spring pressed locking plate which thereby holds the backing plate and blade in the assembled position on the carrier against the pressure caused by bending the blade, the locking plate being moved out of engagement with the groove to release the blade and backing plate. Y

The opposite or inoperative edge of the blade 10 is adjusted at the same time as the operative edge either to bear equally on the lugs 12, or the end plates 14, 15, and upon a sharpening surface 22 of substantially flat form carried by a bearing 23 extending from one end plate 14 to the other end plate 15 of the frame. These lugs 12 or the end plates 14, 15, determine the set of the inoperative edge with respect to the sharpening surface and ensure that the minimum of friction is present commensurate with a proper sharpening of the edge when the razor is in use.

The bearing 23 is pivoted to the end plates 14 and 15 by means of screws 27 which are screwed into the bearing as shown in Fig. 5, and thereby grip the bearing between the end plates so as to hold the sharpening surface 22 in a position to engage the inoperative edge of the blade at a particular angle and with the necessary pressure for sharpening. By loosening the screws 27, the bearing 23 may be tilted into another position as shown, for example, by the dotted lines in Fig. 3, so as to adjust the pressure and angle with which the sharpening surface contacts with the inoperative edge and to compensate for wear.

A convenient material for the sharpening surface 22 is plate glass, and it can readily be held in the bearing 23 by turnover lugs such as 24.

To avoid the possibility of the blade 10 hearing too hard upon the glass 22 or not sufficiently hard, especially if guided also by the end plates 14, 15, a spring or springs 22a may advantageously be employed to support the surface 22 in a flexible manner.

Figure 4 is a detailed plan view alternative to Figure 2, in which the sharpening surface is provided by means of the roller 25, which may be of glass, fibre, or the like, carried by a metal bar 26 passing through it; by turning the roller 25 a new grinding surface may be presented to the blade as required.

By the constructions according to either Figs. 1 to 3 or Fig. 4, a fixed line of contact always obtains between the sharpening surface and the inoperative edge as the blade is reciprocated, so that a true and accurate sharpening of the edge takes place.

It will be seen that the end plates are carried by a cross plate 19 which may be connected to a handle 27 by means of a bridge piece.

The carrier 1 may be supported by pins 20, 21, slidably and tiltably engaging in centrally disposed apertures, forming a bearing in the end plates 14;, 15, and to prevent too much rocking of the carrier 1 these pins may advantageously be of square or rectangular section.

It will be seen that as the face roller 8 is applied to the face during shaving, reciprocation of the carrier 1 occurs and therewith the reciprocation of the inoperative edge of the blade 10 along the surface 22, whereby this edge is kept sharp and upon reversal of the blade 10 in its supports the opposite edge is brought on to the sharpening surface and sharpened while the other edge does the shaving.

It should be understood that this invention is to a large extent the application of a sharpening surface to a reciprocating razor with a double edged blade as set forth in my copending application for a patent No. 616,713.

What I claim is:

1. In a safety razor for a double edged blade, the combination with a frame with end plates, a blade carrier mounted to reciprocate between the end plates, and means for reciprocating the carrier including a face roller mounted between the end plates so as to be adjacent the operative edge of the blade when assembled, of a sharpening surface of substantially fiat form and a bearing for the said surface mounted on and between the end plates so as to cause the said surface to engage with the inoperative edge of the blade when assembled and to present the said surface at a correct angle for the sharpening of the in operative edge.

2. In a safety razor according to claim 1, a spring located in the said bearing so as to urge the sharpening surface into resilient contact with the said inoperative edge and means holding the said surface in the bearing against the pressure of the spring.

3. In a safety razor for a double edged blade, the combination with a frame with end plates, a blade carrier mounted to reciprocate between the end plates, and means for reciprocating the carrier including a face roller mounted between the end plates so as to be adjacent the operative edge of the blade when assembled, of a sharpening surface of substantially flat form, a bearing for the said surface mounted on and between the end plates so as to cause the said surface to engage with the inoperative edge of the blade when assembled and to present the said surface at a correct angle for the sharpening of the inoperative edge, and shaped guiding surfaces on the said end plates for engaging the assembled blade so as to determine the set of the said inoperative edge with respect to the said sharpening surface whereby the minimum of friction is presented to the movement of the blade by the sharpening surface.

4. In a safety razor for a double edged blade, the combination with a frame including end plates, a blade carrier mounted to reciprocate between the end plates, and means for reciprocating the carrier including a face roller mounted between the end plates so as to be adjacent the operative edge of the blade when assembled, of a sharpening surface of substantially flat form, an adjustable bearing for the said surface mounted on and between the end plates adjacent the inoperative edge of the blade and means for fixing the bearing in an adjusted position, wherein the inoperative edge of the blade, when assembled, engages the sharpening surface at a particular angle and pressure. 7

5. The combination with the structure claimed in claim 4 of spring means housed in the bearing pressing the sharpening surface into resilient contact with the inoperative edge.

6. In a safety razor for a double edged blade, the combination with a frame having end plates, a blade carrier mounted to reciprocate between the end plates, and means for reciprocating the carrier including a face roller mounted between the end plates so as to be adjacent the operative edge of the blade when assembled, of a sharpening surface of substantially flat form, a bearing for the said surface pivotally mounted on and between the end plates adjacent the inoperative edge of the blade, and adjustable means for fixing the bearing so that the inoperative edge of the blade, when assembled, engages the sharpening surface at a particular angle and pressure.

7. In a safety razor for a double edged blade, the combination with a frame having end plates, a blade carrier mounted to reciprocate between the end plates, and means for reciprocating the carrier including a face roller mounted between the end plates so as to be adjacent the operative edge of the blade when assembled, of a sharpening surface of substantially flat form, a bear ing for the said surface pivotally mounted on and between the end plates adjacent the inoperative edge of the blade, adjustable means for fixing the hearing so that the inoperative edge of the blade, when assembled, engages the sharpening surface at a particular angle and pressure, a spring in the bearing for urging the sharpening surface into resilient contact with the said inoperative edge, and means for holding the sharpening surface in the bearing against the pressure of the spring.

8. In a safety razor'for a double edged blade,

a frame including end plates provided with a central pivot support and connected at one extremity by a face roller, a stationary sharpening surface connecting the end plates at the opposite extremity, a blade carrier including mounting means tiltably and slidably engaging said pivot support and a projection engaging in a cam slot in the face roller for reciprocating the carrier, guide surfaces on the end plates on each side of the said pivot support and a curved backing plate co-operating with the carrier to bend the blade into contact with said guide surfaces so as to guide one edge of the blade in contact with the sharpening surface and at a correct angle for the sharpening of the said edge and to guide the other edge in predetermined relation with respect to the face roller.

9. In a safety razor for a double edged blade, a frame including end plates each provided with a centrally disposed aperture and connected at one extremity by a face roller, a stationary sharpening surface connecting the end plates at the opposite extremity, a blade carrier including a projection engaging a cam slot in the face roller for reciprocating the carrier and having a pin at each end slidably engaging in the centrally disposed aperture in an end plate, guide surfaces on the end plates on each side of the central apertures, and a curved backing plate co-operating with the carrier to bend the blade into contact with the said guide surfaces whereby one edge of the blade is guided in contact with the sharpening surface and at a correct angle for the sharpening of the said edge while the other edge is guided in predetermined relation with respect to the face roller.

10. In a safety razor for a double edged blade, a frame including end plates curved convexly each provided with a centrally disposed aperture and connected at one extremity by a face roller, a stationary sharpening surface connecting the end plates at the opposite extremity, a blade carrier including a projection engaging a cam slot in the face roller for reciprocating the carrier and having a pin at each end slidably engaging in the centrally disposed aperture in an end plate, guide surfaces on the end plates on each side of the central apertures, and a curved backing plate co-operating with the carrier to bend the blade into contact with the said guide surfaces whereby one edge of the blade is guided in contact with the sharpening surface and at a correct angle for the sharpening of the said edge while the other edge is guided in predetermined relation with respect to the face roller.

11. In a safety razor for a double edged blade, a frame including end plates each provided with a centrally disposed aperture and connected at one extremity by a face roller, a bearing connecting the end plates at the opposite extremity, a sharpening surface of substantially flat form mounted in the said bearing, a blade carrier including a projection engaging in a cam slot in the face roller for reciprocating the carrier, and a pin at each end slidably engaging with the said centrally disposed aperture of an end plate, guide surfaces on the end plates on each side of the central apertures and a curved backing plate co-operating with the carrier to bend the blade into contact with said guide surfaces so as to guide one edge of the blade in contact with the sharpening surface and at a correct angle for the sharpening of the said edge, and to guide the other edge in predetermined relation with respect to the face roller.

12. In a safety razor for a double edged blade, a frame including end plates each provided with a centrally disposed aperture and connected at one extremity by a face roller, an adjustable bearing connecting the end plates at the opposite extremity, a sharpening surface of substantially fiat form mounted in said bearing, a blade carrier including a projection engaging in a cam slot in the face roller for reciprocating the carrier and a pin at each end slidably engaging in a centrally disposed slot in an end plate, guide surfaces on the end plates on each side of the central slots, a curved backing plate co-operating with the carrier to bend the blade into contact with the said guide surfaces so that one edge of the blade is in contact with the sharpening surface, and means for fixing the bearing in an adjustable position wherein the one edge of the blade engages the sharpening surface at a particular angle and pressure.

GEORGE TAYLOR. 

